Moore breaks 60m record in NYC

Even on days he doesn’t feel his best, Matt Moore continues to tear up the track.

Robert Holder

Even on days he doesn’t feel his best, Matt Moore continues to tear up the track.

The Oak Ridge senior broke former teammate Jadon Short’s 60-meter school record this past weekend finishing in 5th place in a time of 6.83 at the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet at The Armory in New York City.

The time bested Short, now at ETSU, by .03 seconds and earned Moore All-American status at the meet, the first Oak Ridge Track Club member and Wildcat to do so at the national meet.

“When I looked up to the big screen and saw my time, I couldn’t believe it,” Moore said. “It’s been one of my main goals. It was a great feeling. Jadon was a guy I always looked up to and one that I wanted to be as good as or better than.”

But it wasn’t easy.

After advancing to the semifinals in a time of 6.96, Moore told coach Allen Etheridge he wasn’t feeling 100 percent ready for the semifinals. Missing that “pop,” the coaches had Moore do a workout of steps and squat jumps with teammate Cole Green in front of a Chineese restaurant on 45th street and 5th avenue.

“It was different,” Moore admitted,

“but you gotta do what you gotta do. It got the job done.”

Moore ran a 6.92 in the semifinal that qualified him for the record-breaking final.

As the ORTC’s last race of the indoor season, club members Luis Chavez, Cole Green, Seth Howell and Moore ran in boys while Leah Chance, Maddie Self, Lauren Smallwood and Mariah Zawisza ran the girls Elite sprint medley relays. Green also ran in the 200-meter race.

The Oak Ridgers will now join the rest of the high school track team for their first meet of the outdoor season March 22 at the William Blount Invitational.

Robert Holder can be contacted at (865) 220-5508.

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